Rocker-shaft support for looms



April 29 1924. 1,492,479

A. E. RHOADES ROCKER SHAFT SUPPORT FOR LOOMS Filed 0ct.'19. 1922.

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Patented Apr. 29, 182%.

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ALONZO E. RHOADES, F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DRAPER COR- PORATION, OE HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CQR PORATION 0F MAINE.

ROCKER-SHAFT SUPIPORT FOR LOO'MS.

Application filed October 19, 1922. Serial No. 595,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of 6 Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Rocker-Shaft Sup-ports for Looms, of which the following description, in con nection with the accompanying drawing, is

a specification, like characters on the draw.- ing representing like parts.

This invention relates to means for supporting the lay rocker shaft in a loom and the object of the invention is to provide a bearing or bearings auxiliary to the usual 1 end bearings of the lay rocker shaft, supported by the loom frame, and preferably by a girder connecting the side frames, and acting to support the shaft intermediate its ends and preferably adjacent both ends inwardly of the lay swords and preferably also thereby preventing axial movement of the shaft.

The lay rocker shaft is a most important part of a loom and its continual motion carrying the lay and associated mechanism produces wear between the shaft and its end bearings which, if not prevented or neutralized, interferes with the proper operation of the loom. An excessive wear be- 80 tween the end bearings and lay rocker shaft lowers the lay so as to prevent proper cooperation of the loom mechanisms such as the feeler mechanism with the filling carrier and moreover permits a jumping of the lay and occasional endwise movement of the lay all of which is undesirable and injurious to the Weaving operation.

This invention provides a very simple and efficient means for supporting the lay rocker shaft intermediate of its end bearings and preferably adjacent and inwardly of both of the lay swords. The invention is readily applicable to existing looms at a comparatively small expense. The invention not only guards against excessive wear in the end bearings but acts firmly and rigidly to support the lay rocker shaft and the parts carried thereby and also to prevent endwise or axial movement of the shaft.

The objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is applicable to any type of loom but is herein illustrated in connection with the well-known Northrop type of loom. As the invention is concerned. solely with the support of the lay rocker shaft it is unnecessary to illustrate or describe any of the details of construction of the'loom not particularly concerned with this feature. ture.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross section of a portion of a loom looking toward the inside of one of the side frames;

F 2 is a front elevation of the lower left hand corner of the construction shown inFig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a top plan View ofthe construe tion shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation corresponding to Fig. 2 of the lower right hand corner of the loom.

The loom illustrated in connection with this invention comprises the usual frame made up of the side frames 1 and 2 connected by the breast beam 3 and other transverse members including the usual girder 4 at the lower front portions of the side frames. Such a loom usually comprises a lay rocker shaft 5 extending between the side frames at the bottom and at each end journalled in bearings 6 bolted or otherwise secured to the side frames. The lay swords 7 which support the lay 8 are usually provided at their lower ends with hubs 9 fitting over the rocker shaft 5 and secured thereto near the ends of the rocker shaft. The lay, with the parts supported thereby, is necessarily quite heavy and as it is continually oscillated toward and from the breast beam there is great danger of excessive wear taking place between the ends of the rocker shaft 5 and the bearings 6 which if not prevented or neutralized will, as already pointed out, seriously interfere with the proper operation of the loom.

In the preferred form of this invention auxiliary bearings are provided supported by the loom frame and preferably by the glrder 4. These bearings are of the same construction and located in the same relative position. Each bearing is preferably carried by a two part vertically adjustable bracket. One part 10 of the bracket is shown as a metal arm of angular shape secured in place to the top of the girder 4. by a bolt 11 and provided with a depending flange to which a bearing arm 12 is secured by a bolt 13. The bearing arm is vertically slotted so as to provide for a vertical adjustment between the two parts of the bracket. The bearing arm presents at its end an elongated open bearing 14L adapted to fit over and support the shaft. The vertical adjustment enables the bearing to be fitted firmly against the shaft.

Each of these auxiliary bearing brackets are preferably so located on the girder lthat the outer ends of the bearings let abut against the inner ends of the sword hubs 9 thus preventing any endwise or axial movement of the rocker shaft 5,

The location of the auxiliary bearings adjacent the ends of the rocker shafts but on the opposite sides of the lay swords from the usual end bearings 6 provides a very firm and rigid support for the lay rocker shaft because the weight supported by the rocker shaft is transmitted to it through the sword hubs 9 and with this invention firm bearings are provided on both sides of these hubs.

This invention also provides a construction which may readily be applied to existing looms and without taking apart or dismantling the loom.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a loom comprising side frames,a girder connecting the side frames and a lay rocker shaft journalled at its ends in bearings on the frame, the provision of an auxiliary bearing mounted on the girder and acting to support the shaft intermediate the end bearings.

2. A loom comprising side frames, a girder connecting the side frames, bearings 0n the side frames, a lay rocker shaft journalled in the said bearings a pair of lay swords having hubs mounted on the said shaft adjacent the ends thereof, and a pair of auxiliary bearings mounted on the girder and supporting the lay rocker shaft inwardly of and abutting the sword hubs to prevent axial movement of the shaft.

3. A loom comprising the construction defined in claim 2 in which the auxiliary bearings are formed in two part vertically adjustable brackets secured to the girder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

